Romanian crime gang who carried out £200,000 raid in Peterborough during £4.5 million spree jailed

The police investigation established that the Organised Crime Gang (OCG) are linked to a number of prominent Romanian crime families who form part of the Clamparu crime group. This group is based in the Iasi region in Eastern Romania and have a history of complex and large-scale high value thefts, yet have mainly avoided prosecution by offending outside Romania.

The police investigation established that the gang were responsible for the theft of approximately £4.5 million worth of goods which were transported out of this country.

The first burglary in their three year spree took place between 6 and 7 December 2016 at a warehouse in Peterborough. The business specialised in mobile phones, gadgets and other high value electronics.

In the early hours, the premises were burgled with entry being gained by a hole being cut in the rear metal corrugated wall of a neighbouring business before another hole was cut in the partition wall between the buildings. CCTV highlighted that the three people who entered the building went to great lengths to avoid triggering the infrared motion sensor alarms and to avoid capture on CCTV.

They stole around £200,000 worth of technology and left the location via the route of entry, carrying large sacks containing the stolen items.

The second offence occurred between 29 and 30 January 2017 at a large customs clearance agent and international freight forwarding company warehouse. At the time, the warehouse was holding a number of culturally significant books, including work by Sir Isaac Newton; the eighteenth-century Spanish painter Francisco Goya; and relating to the Italian astronomer, Galileo. These books had been shipped from Italy and Germany and were being stored in preparation for onward delivery to a book fair in the USA. The books belonged to three separate dealers.

The court heard how the organised crime group (OCG), who were all Romanian nationals, carried out their activities between December 2016 to April 2019. They were responsible for 12 offences across the UK at various locations including Peterborough, Hertfordshire, Sheffield, Feltham and Enfield.

Officers from the Met’s Specialist Crime South launched an investigation into the OCG in February 2017.

They worked in conjunction with officers from the Romanian National Police and Italian Carabinieri, supported by Europol and Eurojust, on the international operation to bring the offenders to justice and recover the stolen property. This culminated in coordinated arrests and searches of 45 addresses across the UK, Romania and Italy in June 2019.

The books were recovered on Wednesday, 16 September, following the search of a house by Romanian officers who discovered them buried underground.

As a result of several months of meticulous work and surveillance, members of the organised crime group were identified and arrested between June 2019 and January 2020.

All 12 men were charged with one count of conspiracy to commit burglary, between 1 December 2016 and 15 April 2019 and one count of conspiracy to conceal covert, disguise, transfer and remove criminal property, between 1 December 2016 and 15 April 2019.

Detective Inspector Andy Durham, who led the investigation, said: “These sentences bring a successful conclusion to a complicated three year investigation, which identified and convicted a previously unknown Romanian Organised Crime Gang.

“For over two years, this gang commuted from Romania into the UK, targeting warehouses across the country, causing huge financial losses and even forcing some to close as a result. They gave no consideration to the victims they targeted, and I am proud the Met investigation team, working with the Romanian National Police and the Italian Carabinieri, have brought their offending to an end.”

The following were sentenced on Friday, 2 October:

- Vasille Ionel Pragina, 28 (19.01.92) from Romania pleaded guilty on 26 June and was sentenced to three years and eight months’ imprisonment.

- Marian Mamaliga, 34 (06.09.86), from Romania, who pleaded guilty on 8 July was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment.

- Liviu Leahu, 39 (05.01.81) from Romania pleaded guilty on 24 June and was sentenced to three years and eight months’ imprisonment.

- Daniel David, 37 (25.04.83) from Romania who pleaded guilty on 17 February was sentenced to three years and seven months’ imprisonment.

- Paul Popeanu, 35 (17.03.85) of Rossgate, Hemel Hempstead who pleaded guilty on 17 February was sentenced to three years and three months’ imprisonment.

The following were sentenced on Thursday, 1 October:

- Gavril Popinciuc, 45 (12.01.75) from Romania pleaded guilty on 24 June and was sentenced to five years and eight months’ imprisonment.

- Cristian Ungureanu, 41 (09.07.79) from Romania, but extradited from Italy pleaded guilty on 8 July and was sentenced to five years’ and one month imprisonment.

- Narcis Popescu, 34 (10.05.86) from Romania, who pleaded guilty on 17 February was sentenced to a total of four years and two months’ imprisonment.

- Traian-Daniel Mihulca, 32 (26.07.88), from Romania pleaded guilty on 24 June and was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment.

- Marian Albu, 41 (23.08.79) of Newton Road, Harrow pleaded guilty on 24 June and was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment.

- Victor Opariuc, 29 (13.11.90) from Romania who pleaded guilty on 17 February was sentenced to three years and seven months’ imprisonment.

- Ilie Ungureanu, 33 (04.08.87) from Romania, but extradited from Germany pleaded guilty on 24 June and was sentenced to three years and eight months’ imprisonment.